2020 DUC ATI PANIG ALE V4 S
R I D E R E V I E W
P80
MAKING IT RIGHT
Two years used to be a huge amount of time in
motorcycle development. Now we're looking at up
to 10 years (as is the case with some manufactur-
ers) before we see big improvements or changes,
so it came as a surprise when, at a special pre-
EICMA presentation last year, Ducati unveiled
what looked like a V4 S in V4 R drag.
The 2020 Ducati Panigale V4 S and the V4 R
now look like twins, with the former stealing the
latter's bodywork, including new aerodynamic
winglets aside the fairing.
The V4 S further raided the V4 R's parts bin by
using a similar, although not totally identical front
frame that offers a massive 30 percent increase in
torsional (twisting) stiffness and a 15 percent in-
crease in braking (fore and aft) stiffness.
Let's focus on the most obvious thing first.
The new V4 S fairing gives the motorcycle ex-
ponentially more downforce the higher the speed.
Sounds obvious, right? The best explanation I can
give goes to KTM's MotoGP Technical Director Se-
bastian Reiss. When I asked him last year at COTA
about the little scoop under the Ducati MotoGP
(Above) The rain in Bahrain may
have been unexpected but it
gave us a chance to evaluate
Ducati's changes under a bigger
microscope than normal. (Left)
Base mode for the V4 S dash…
(Right) And then into just one
area. Each parameter you see
here is adjustable. You can
almost get lost in how much
scope you have to play with.
